Following the trends

Whether you’ve never been to an auction, or you’re something of a regular, 2020 is set to be a great year to make a bid or cash in that aic nd. Caroline Wheater asks a selection of specialists for their view on what’s hot now With hundreds of sales happening around the country every month, auction houses o er every conceivable antique and vintage item. From early Worcester porcelain and Bristol Blue decanters, to Scottish silver bullet teapots and Victorian Paisley shawls, there’s huge variety to choose from among the panoply of home furnishings, pictures, textiles, decorative arts, and jewellery and watches up for auction. There are prices to suit every pocket too, at a weekly local sale you might pick up a silver trinket for £20 or £40, while at a quarterly ‘Fine’ sale, held at a leading regional salesroom, high-quality antiques will go for thousands of pounds. Then there’s the drama of the bidding, online or in person, to enjoy. Last year, with the Brexit cloud hanging over us, the housing market slowed a litte, meaning that people bought fewer things to furnish and decorate their homes. But this year, as things SETTLE down, con dence is set to return and the auction market remains buoyant. ‘While there’s been a slowdown in the sale of traditional furnishings, collectors always collect,’ says founding Director of Lyon & Turnbull, John Mackie. ‘Because of the internet, it’s a global market too, and people are buying back their heritage, from Italian maiolica to Chinese ceramics to British art pottery.’